Belarus

. The name Belarus derives from the term White Rus. The name Belarus derives from the term White Rus, which first appeared in German and Latin medieval literature. The Latin term for the area was Russia Alba. Historically, the country was referred to in English as White Ruthenia. The first known use of White Russia to refer to Belarus was in the late-16th C.

Belarus was named Belorussia in the days of Imperial Russia, and the Russian tsar was usually styled Tsar of All the Russias—Great, Little, and White. The name Belarus derives from the term White Rus. The first known use of White Russia to refer to Belarus was in the late-16th C.